Wizards pick up options on Young, Pecherov contracts

The Wizards have exercised the third-year option on both second-year guard Nick Young and second-year forward/center Oleksiy Pecherov, teh team announced this evening.

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Pecherov was the team’s first-round pick out of the Ukraine in the 2006 draft (18th overall), and Young was taken 16th overall out of USC in the 2007 draft.

Under the terms of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, the first two years of a first-round draft picks deal are guaranteed, and the the team holds the option to pick up the third and fourth years of the contract.

“Nick and ‘Pech’ both showed a great deal of potential as rookies and we’re counting on them to continue their progress and contribute,” team president Ernie Grunfeld said in a statement released by the team. “We like the fact that we have a group of promising young players behind our established veterans, and we’re excited to retain Nick and ‘Pech’ for their third seasons.”

Pecherov averaged 3.6 points and 1.9 rebounds in 35 games as a rookie last season. Young, meanwhile, averaged 7.5 points in 75 games..